UNSG’s Independent Accountability Panel to Launch Report on Taking Action During Covid-19

As COVID-19 threatens to reverse critical progress made in health for women, children, and adolescents around the world, taking action is more important than ever. On July 13, the Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman Every Child (IAP) will launch its 2020 report—“Caught in the COVID-19 storm: progress and accountability for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health in the context of UHC and SDGs”—and host a discussion on how stakeholders can act to protect those left behind during this unprecedented global crisis. The event is titled “From Page to Action: Accountability for the Furthest Left Behind in COVID-19 and Beyond” and will be held virtually alongside the High-Level Political Forum at 7:45am – 9:00am EDT.

The report launch will feature high-level speakers including Japanese International Cooperation Agency President Mr. Shinichi Kitaoka; Georgian Ambassador to the United Nations Kaha Imnadze; former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Board Chair of PMNCH Rt. Hon. Helen Clark; Co-Chair of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board Mr. Elhadj As Sy; and, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Ms. Gabriela Cuevas-Barron.

This roundtable, moderated by Ms. Gillian Tett of the Financial Times, will discuss IAP’s independent review of progress on the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy 2016-2030 and the related Sustainable Development Goals. Participants will touch on topics including country-level case studies of the impact of COVID-19, accountability frameworks, and how this work fits into the Decade of Action. It is crucial to ensure that countries deliver on UHC for women, children, and adolescents—and the launch will provide a road map with recommendations and best practices going forward.

“The launch of this report could not come at a more timely moment. The urgency and gravity of the situation facing the world’s women, children and adolescents today is what originally inspired the Every Woman Every Child movement’s creation and continues to drive the partners which work tirelessly to advance the Global Strategy,” stated Vivian Lopez, Executive Coordinator of the EWEC Secretariat. “And accountability must be at the center of each of our efforts as ultimately we must answer to our most important constituency – every woman, every child and every adolescent. ” 

The event will be co-hosted by the Governments of Japan, South Africa, and Georgia and is co-organized by Every Woman Every Child, the Independent Accountability Panel (IAP), International Health Partnership for UHC 2030 (UHC2030), and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH).

Viewers are encouraged to register no later than Thursday, 9 July and engage in the conversation online using the hashtag #IAP2020 and tagging @UN_EWEC and @IAPEWEC.